The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-12-15
CCambr ian.1
Welsh Preachers.
BY REV. FRED. EDNYFED EVANS, d.

Christmas Evans, the seraph of the
Welsh pulpit, was born on the Esgair-
wen Farm, near the town of Liam
dysul, in the County Of Carmarthen,
S. w, in small hut, on Christmas
duy, 1896 He was born in poverty.
His first master was Jehu, and he
drove the lad furiously. Beethoven
said that Sossini would have made a
grand musician if fogged well when
boy. Rosseau said, II was born
weak, ill-treatment made me strong" ="
Perhaps the ill-treatment which the
boy Christmas received at the hands
of this Jehu, had some part in the
formation Of that strong body and
oaklike character which the future
Christmas Evans possessed.
His thirst after knowledge became
intense. Having already mastered
Welsh reading, he turned his atten-
tion to English, and he became am
bilious enough to attack the Latin
grammar. In returning from a fair
with a copy Of Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress in his possession, he was at
tackled by company of ruffans who
left him in an unconscious condition.
Tt was at this time that he lost his eye.
His teacher was the Rev. David
Davis of Castellhy wei, a splendid
scholar and celebrated poet. It was
he that composed these well known
lines which have reference to DR..
Priestly and his peculiar views:-
"Here lie at rest, in oaken chest
Together packed most nicely,
The bones and brains, flesh, blood and veins
And soul Of DR.. Priestly.'
One of the most noted of Welsh
boards met Davies on rainy day,
covered with layers Of straw fastened
with ropes, and such d sight astonish-
ed the poet, and he cried out:
so Bard and Teacher famed afar
Such sight 1 never saw;
1t i'll becomes house like yours
To wear roof of straw"
Davied like flash replied:
"The rain is falling fast, my friend
You know not what you say,
A roof of straw, methinks, does well
Beseem a wall of clay"
AT this time both teacher and pu-
pill were Arminians, but the pupil in a
few years changed his views of Chris
tian doctrine, and became Baptist,
and Of course Calvinist. He was
baptized by the Rev. Timothy
Thomas Of Aberduar, and from him
received his first lessons in Theology.
Mr.. Thomas administered the first
baptism near the beautiful town Of
Llandilo, four miles from Llandebic,
my native village. Hundreds had
gathered together and were filled with
inspiration, not because they were
near Grougar Hill where John Dyer
sang, or near Golden Grove where
Jeremy Tay lor preached, but because
that a mighty man of God had come
there, a man bold and eloquent, to
preach the word and baptize believers.
In his old age this Elijah would ex-
claim sometimes; Il have baptized
during my ministry over two thou
sand persons, and among them was
the greatest preacher of his time,
Christmas Eyans."
This seraph of the Welsh pulpit,
Chritmas Evans, preaching in place
in South Wales where thousands had
gathered together in the open field
is thus described: "The one-eyed lad
complied with the request of Rev.
Daniel Davies, the pastor, and slowly
pulled out of his pocket, not an ele-
CANT clerical sermon case with chaste-
ly written contents. but some very
queer, dirty-looking papers inartistic-
ally put together, containing, most
probably, rather full sketch of his
sermon, but as it there appears giving
little promise, at best huge, cumbrous,
Puritanical, disgseta n,embra, vital
only to himself. He turns aside,
loiters awhile about the rough
scaffolded platform, and then makes
his way abstractedly beyond the
neighborhood Of the crowd, some Of
whom have noticed the mysterious
communication between Daniel
Davies and the old-looking man, and
wondered whether the minister could
ever think Of such an absurdity as to
ask him to preach. While he muses.
the fire slowly kindles, thoughts ac-
quire a startling vividness. Having
found his way back to the platform,
and the singing concluded, he stands
up; such a scarcrowish spectacle even
to rustic audience, that many of the
people, satisfied that the Velinvoel
pastor had made grave mistake,
leisurely dispersed, some to get lit
tie refreshment, others to rest them
selves about the hedges after a weary
journey and to shelter themselves
from the burning sun, others group
themselves together, talking freely
and most probably comforting one
another that when the other preach
ers come on, then they will have
magnificent sermons; this one surely
would have sense enough to be
abort.